


Walking These Gray Roads Finding Old Enemies.

by Thousandsmiles



Series: The Gray Roads. [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Allison Hale - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, Hunters, Kanima Jackson Whittemore, No Slash, Pack Dynamics, Peter is still terrible, Sad Chris Argent, Victoria is scary
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-06
Updated: 2016-11-24
Packaged: 2018-06-06 16:09:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6760876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thousandsmiles/pseuds/Thousandsmiles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been a couple of months since they have officially moved into Beacon Hills and the pack have settled into their new home quite fine. Of course that is just when things start going wrong starting with bodies showing up and an alpha who wants to take away two of their pack members. Of course, things must get worse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So sequel to Finding Friends on the Way. If you haven't read it, then you need to. If you have, then dive right in. Hope you guys like how things happen in this 'verse.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf.

"Jackson's a dick," announced Isaac walking into the loft.

"No," corrected Stiles, "he's a douchebag. Calling him a dick feels like giving him too much power," he muttered after.

"I agree with both those sentiments," Scott added afterwards, grinning.

"So, in other words," said Derek, "nothing new."

"Exactly," Scott agreed, and then grinned wider at the disbelieving look Derek shot him.

"What's he done now?" asked Allison, from the table where she was doing her homework.

"Scored all the goals," Stiles grumbled, "And 'forgot' to assist us when he could."

"Danny'll talk him out of doing that again," Scott said, apparently unconcerned.

"Well forgive me if I don't share your confidence," Isaac told him.

"He already started when we left," Scott told Isaac, "Why do you think I'm not worried?"

"And it didn't occur to you to tell us that?" Stiles told him disbelievingly. 

"Are you kidding?" Scott said, "Like I'm going to interrupt the two of you in the middle of a rant. The last time Boyd tried that Isaac bit him."

"It was an accident," Isaac mumbled.

Derek had long ago given up on them and was hunting around for his jacket because he had to go to work soon. 

"Has anyone seen my jacket?" he asked after a moment.

"Check Erica's room," said Allison, "she was trying it on this morning." 

Derek disappeared upstairs and came back with his jacket. 

"Keep an eye on them," he told Allison.

She smiled at him and said, "Sure thing."

"I am not a child," Stiles protested after him. Scott just gave Derek a half smile and a nod, which he returned. He knew Scott would be protecting the others.

Isaac called a goodbye which was muffled by the sandwich he was currently stuffing his mouth with. Derek gave a half-wave and disappeared out of the loft. Stiles dived into the fridge for food and Scott went over to greet Allison with a kiss. 

"How was practice otherwise?" she asked him.

"It was good," Scott said, "Coach didn't even yell a lot."

"He definitely likes Jackson though," Stiles added from the kitchen, followed by, "Hey Isaac where'd you put the ketchup?"

Allison grinned at Scott and then nudged him towards the kitchen, “Go and get something to eat." 

He gave her another kiss and headed over to the kitchen to eat. 

* * *

  
  
It had been a semester since they had started school and all were doing well there. Stiles was reunited with his beloved jeep and often carried Scott and Isaac to school, whilst Allison ferried Erica. Jackson and Lydia alternated driving duty and they picked up Boyd and/or Danny on the way to school. On evenings everyone went home with whoever was available due to their mess of extracurricular activities. 

They had settled down to a sort-of routine of home, school, loft and practice in sparring ect. Packwise things were...shifting. They were a pack without an alpha; led by two betas and held together by a human-wolf. Stiles and Scott had, over time, come to a, a knowledge of each other, an understanding. They were not friends, not yet, but they knew each other, balanced out each other. Both of them shared that sort of understanding with Derek but it was different for each of them and him. Scott and Derek were slowly shifting from co-leaders to...a mentor-mentee relationship but it would not be without price. The shift was going to cost, it was going to hurt, but Scott and Derek both knew that, and both were ready to bear whatever was going to come of it when it came. Stiles was being the buffer for the rest of the pack. The backlash would hit him hardest before it trickled down to the rest but he could take it. The three of them had started this and they would take care of this delicate, exquisite pain. Luckily the three of them were mature enough by now to take it.

A few months ago, Stiles reflected wryly, they would not have been preparing for the shift so calmly. It was funny how things changed. 

The loft had become their pack hangout, but the old Hale house had become their place for disputes since their disputes could become messy especially if they contained Jackson or even Erica.   


* * *

Saturday morning found most of the pack in the loft preparing to go through their morning routine. Allison and Erica were already sparring on one side of the loft sans claws and weapons. Erica was stronger and faster but Allison definitely knew what she was doing. She turned Erica's strength neatly against her and rolled blows that were too fast for her too block. She was a hunter and while she wasn't much stronger than a regular person, it was enough to make a difference and give her an edge. They were therefore about evenly matched.

Erica threw a punch and Allison caught her arm, twisted it and threw a knee into Erica's face. Erica rocked back with the blow and used the momentum to rip free her arm. She lashed out with a forward kick that knocked through Alison's guard and sent her stumbling back.

Off to the side of the sparring pair Lydia and Stiles were stretching. Lydia may be a banshee but Derek was quite convinced she was half wildcat as well. Stiles was the only one devious enough to keep up with her. The rest of them often came out of matches with her with scratch marks. 

Isaac, Scott and Jackson were out running. Boyd was making breakfast, having already finished his run and waiting for the sparring area to open up so that he could fight with Derek. 

Derek was sleeping on the couch having returned from his shift a few hours ago. He had grunted a promise to wake up and spar but Boyd wasn’t putting too much stock in that. Still a werewolf could hope. 

Allison and Erica finished sparring and soon after the rest of the pack returned from their run. Stiles and Lydia moved over to begin their own sparring session whilst the three runners headed to the fridge for water. Derek slumbered on, occasionally giving little half snores. Boyd was tempted to make a video of him but figured that if he did Derek might shorten his lifespan. 

Isaac and Jackson went to begin their own stretches. Jackson was a fearsome fighter and being a kanima, near invincible, but Isaac had a wicked violence-loving streak that rivaled and probably surpassed Jackson’s. Their match ups were always something to watch and always wince-inducing. Both of them came out grinning afterwards though and Stiles had often pronounced them both insane.   


Scott dropped down on the couch, next to Boyd, who had finished making the pancakes, drinking orange juice and cooling down a bit. After a moment Alison and Erica joined them and they watched Stiles and Lydia go at it. They eventually came to draw and then vacated the floor for Isaac and Jackson. 

Stiles grabbed water and sat on the armrest of the couch using Allison’s shoulder to balance himself. He sported some nasty looking welts down his right arm and Lydia had a wicked bruise on her upper arm. She claimed the loveseat for herself and turned it so she could watch the Isaac-Jackson fight, which was holding true to its usual brutal fashion. Derek was still sleeping, his mouth a little open now. 

Stiles phone rang startling them all. Stiles flailed, lost his grip on Allison and fell of the armrest. He scrambled back up, fished the phone out of his pocket and answered it. 

"Hey dad," he said overly cheerful and out of breath.

"Stiles," said the Sheriff, "Good morning. Just calling to check up. You left without me seeing you this morning."

“Oh, hey dad," said Stiles, "Good morning. Yeah I'm fine; I'm at the loft. With everyone else. We were just working out. Usual stuff."

"Well I'm glad to hear it. Have fun. Are you coming home for dinner today?" 

“Uh, most likely," Stiles said.

He was distracted by Jackson sweeping a low back kick and Isaac performing a Neo to evade it only to get caught by Jackson’s other leg sweeping under his feet in the next moment. Isaac turned his fall to his advantage but Jackson, being the most flexible member of the pack by virtue of being a kanima, cleverly twisted away and landed a solid blow on Isaac. 

After what was clearly an awkward pause over the phone Stiles continued. 

"Yeah, I'll call you to tell you if I’m coming or not." 

"Sure, no problem," said the Sheriff, "Bye."

"Bye," said Stiles. He ended the call and plopped back onto the armrest and grabbed the hand Alison offered for support. Isaac head butted Jackson, grabbed his arm, yanking him forward and applied a wicked blow to his kidneys.

"Oooh," said everyone.

Ironically, that was what woke Derek. He got up on one elbow, looked around and then flopped back onto the couch fast asleep. Boyd gave him a fond exasperated smile and nudged Scott with his elbow.

"Want to spar?"

"Sure," said Scott downing the last of his orange juice.

Derek mumbled something unintelligible and Lydia shushed him but reached over and tapped his ankle twice, affectionately. 

Isaac and Jackson finally finish their spar, with Isaac winning and proclaiming that they were now even. Jackson scowled at him and went for water and Scott and Boyd hefted themselves from the warm cushiony comfort of the couch and went over to the sparing area, half stretching as they went. Jackson immediately ran over to take Scott's position, just barely reaching there before Stiles who fell over Jackson and then proceeded to knee him as he scrambled over him to get to Boyd's place. Jackson grunted and would have poured the water all over Stiles if Allison hadn’t snatched the cup from him. She took a deep drink and grinned cheekily at Jackson before turning her attention to the fight that was about to start.   
  
Scott and Boyd took a few more moments to really stretch before they stood up and began to circle each other. 

Isaac appeared from the kitchen, looked around morosely and then went over to Lydia who gave a dramatic sigh but got up and allowed him to sit. Once he was seated she rearranged herself on him and settled in to watch the fight. Derek was giving tiny, soft snores again.   
Scott and Boyd was an interesting matchup because while Scott was the better fighter and as strong as Boyd, Body was big, and heavy. It took a lot to actually knock him off balance. Boyd was also smart and military trained. Scott however knew what it was like to really fight for your life and that was a lesson that gave as much as it took. 

It was the longest match of the morning and eventually came to an end with Scott as the victor. The rest of the pack cheered and then headed for the kitchen for Boyd's pancakes. Derek was still fast asleep and likely to stay that way until evening. Allison snatched some pancakes and hid them away for Derek to eat later because he had a special affinity for Boyd's pancakes.   
After breakfast they hit the showers and then scattered to do various things. Allison, Erica and Lydia went to the supermarket for groceries, Scott and Stiles went over home to do their various chores, Boyd went to the library, Jackson was meeting some guys on the team to go watch lacrosse videos all say long and Isaac was doing his set of chores at the loft. Derek of course was still dead to the world. 

* * *

  
After finishing all their chores, Stiles and Scott regrouped at the Stilinkski house to play Call of Duty Black Ops and to do their chemistry homework while bitching about Mr. Harris. Stiles remembered at some point in time to tell his father he was in fact, going o be home for dinner. 

However strangely enough, the Sherriff was the one who almost didn’t make it to dinner. He came in late, looking exhausted. 

"Hey dad," said Stiles, "What happened?" 

The Sheriff sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He didn’t say anything until he had seated himself at the table and then said, "We found another body today. This one had been burned in one of the camping sites."

Stiles grimaced. Then frowned. 

"Wait another body? I didn’t hear anything about a first body."

The Sheriff sighed and said, "Two days ago we found a partial John Doe in the preserve. It looked like the work of some animal. Which reminds me, you kids stay out of the woods okay? You’re not supposed to be there anyway but this is an extra waning. I don’t want whatever that did that to get you kids if it’s still around."

"Sure," said Stiles, but his mind' was racing. "What happened to the guy though? Was he like, missing an arm?"

The Sherriff grimaced and then answered carefully, worried about bringing up bad memories, "He was ripped in half Stiles."

Stiles' felt himself freeze for a moment as memory flooded over him, the slick feeling of blood and its heady scent fogging the air around him and then he was back and gave a twisted little smile. 

"That's not...good. I'll pass your warning to the other kids in school. Some of them like to go out there to neck." 

The Sheriff nodded still watching Stiles carefully and Stiles sighed and said, "I'm okay dad. I wonder what did it though."

"Experts are saying it was a mountain lion. But they haven’t confirmed it."

Stiles eyebrows skied up. "Man that must have been some mountain lion."

The Sheriff grimaced again. "Whatever it was, I hope it leaves soon and doesn't harm anyone else. We have enough to deal with, what with the psycho burning people."

Stiles made a face and said "Yeah. Nobody needs a psycho burning people." And dug into his dinner. The talk at the table turned to more pleasant things and soon afterwards Stiles was free to go back to his room which meant he was climbing out his window and running over to Scott's house next door and scrambling up the side of the house. 

Scott heard him and opened the window to let him in and then did most of the work in dragging him up. Once Stiles was safely inside they settled on Scott’s floor while Stiles related what his dad and told him.

"But Scott," he finished, "The only time I've ever seen do something like that, it was a werewolf kill. I'll have to get the pics to be sure but I think it’s worth mentioning to the pack at least."

Scott bit his lip and then nodded. "You're right. And if this werewolf is killing people, then we have to stop him."

Stiles nodded and then groaned and said, "If it is a werewolf he's got a crappy sense of timing."

Scott snorted with laughter, "Tell me about it." 

* * *

 

They told the pack the next morning and Derek said he'd look at it and everyone said they would keep an eye out. Things were okay for the rest of the week after that with no more bodies being found and as customary the pack congregated together Friday afternoon. They spent their time doing out most of their homework and later watching the worst horror movie they could possibly find where the special effects were so bad you could tell it was a rubber suit. 

Around twelve though those who lived out of the loft began to move out to get back to their own homes. Scott was just about to open the door when a wolf’s howl pierced the air. 

Scott gasped like he'd been shot and dropped to a crouch on the ground digging his claws into the ground. His eyes were yellow and he grumbled in the back of his throat as he fought down an answering howl. 

Boyd, similarly affected, was not so strong, and gave into the impulse to howl. Derek jammed his forearm into Boyd's mouth and Boyd bit down hard to stop from replying. 

"What the hell?" snapped Stiles hurrying over to Scott. Scott's eyes were wild as he hung on by a thread to his humanity. 

In the back, Jackson shifted uncomfortably, his own control being wreaked by the upset in the pack stability.

"He's trying to call me Stiles," Scott ground out.

"Who?" said Stiles.

"My alpha," he said. 

Stiles' eyes widened and he looked to Derek frantically. He only caught a slight movement of Derek's head and then Isaac calmly came up behind Scott and whacked him soundly on the back of his head and knocked him out. 

Another howl sounded out and Boyd whimpered and struggled against the hold Derek had on him before Derek said "Sorry," and knocked him out too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love reviews I really do!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2! Enjoy!

Allison looked up at Derek from where she was holding Scott's head in her lap. "Are we going after him?"

Derek visibly struggled with his impulse to say yes and instead shook his head, his eyes sweeping over their two unconscious pack members, Isaac holding tightly to Erica's hand and Jackson who had retreated to the back of the loft as he tried to keep himself together.

Stiles gave him an approving nod and helped Allison drag Scott over to one of the couches. Derek carried Boyd to the other couch and Lydia slipped over to Jackson and began talking to him in a calm, quiet voice.

Once Jackson had settled himself enough he came over to join the rest of them who were sitting down on the floor by the couches.

"Well," said Stiles breaking the hush they had fallen into, “That answers that question."

"It's the same alpha who bit Scott?" asked Allison.

"And Boyd,” said Derek. "He was calling for his pack. To hunt with him. Like an initiation. He's probably the one who killed the man in the woods." 

"Well, we have to stop him," said Allison, "We can’t just let him go around killing innocent people."

"Depends on if they're innocent," Jackson pointed out.

"Even if they're not, it's not good publicity for us. It would attract too much of the wrong attention. Believe me. We need to stop him," said Allison.

Jackson quirked an eyebrow acknowledging the point.

"Also we can’t let him have Scott and Boyd. I don't think he'll let them go," said Derek, “The pack gives him strength, probably why he offered Boyd the bite."

"Do you think we lured him here?" asked Stiles.

"No," said Lydia, “he was here with Boyd remember?"

"Right."

“So what do we do?” asked Isaac, “I mean he’s an alpha. I don’t think any of us are able to take him.”

“Not alone,” said Derek, “But together we’ll probably be able to do it.”

“We might have a problem if we have to fight down Scott and Boyd too,” Allison pointed out.

“Depends on how strong they are. If they can resist him,” Erica said, “Scott fought him pretty well. Maybe it would help if they had warning.”

“Maybe,” said Derek. He gave his head a little tilt, “Maybe not.”

“We’ll have to keep an eye on them,” Stiles said, “Make sure they don’t go unintentionally to the Dark Side and maybe Lydia and I can work up a pattern for his kills. Find if there is anything linking the victims. Maybe my dad might as well.”

Derek nodded in acknowledgement.

“I’ll keep an eye on the hunter channels to see if anyone is coming after him. We’ll need that heads up.”

“Shouldn’t we be doing something now though?” asked Erica, “I mean isn’t he like, going to kill somebody else tonight?”

Derek grimaced and then said, “Yes, but we can’t risk ourselves.”

“Scott would not agree,” said Stiles, “Neither for that matter do I,” he added.

Derek gave him a confused look, because seriously mixed signals? But Allison was clearly catching on.

“Don’t fight him; just make it difficult for him to do what he has to.”

“What if he decides to fight us?” Isaac asked, “There’s nothing to stop him for doing that.”

“He might want us for his pack too,” Erica said in a subdued tone.

“It’s still not safe to leave Scott and Boyd here alone. Or with even one person,” Lydia pointed out, “They’re both dangerous and no offense Jackson, but I don’t want to know if an alpha can suborn the kanima bond with you.”

Jackson shot her a glare but didn’t retaliate which showed that he really wasn’t in the best shape right now.

“Then Derek and I can go,” said Allison, “The others can stay here to watch over Scott and Boyd to stop them if they get up and he’s still influencing them.”

“You should carry backup,” said Stiles, “Take Isaac.”

Jackson shook his head. “We’ll need Isaac and Erica to hold Scott and Boyd,” he said, his face pinched, “And I’m no good right now,” he added tightly, almost choking over the words.

Derek was giving one of his patented glares but said, “Allison and I will go alone this time. Keep out of trouble.”

Then he got up, waited impatiently for Allison to gear up and they headed out of the loft as soon as they could.

* * *

 

Allison and Derek took the camero to where the last wolf howl had come from. When they arrived there they hopped out, Alison holding her bow at the ready and Derek with his claws out and eyes glowing.

It took a few moments for Derek to catch a scent and then he was off without a word. Allison jogged after him as he led her through several blocks keeping her eye out for anything unusual. Finally Derek showed signs of slowing and Allison realized that they were at the school.

“What?” She said coming up behind Derek.

“His trail leads here,” said Derek frowning. Then he hopped over the wire fence and followed the rest of the trail as cautiously as he could. Allison put her bow on her back and cautiously scrambled after him, over the chain link fence.

Once over, she rearmed herself and made a mental note to talk to Derek about not leaving his partner behind. She could see his form heading over to one of the school buses and declined following him, choosing instead to cover his back. She saw Derek come to a halt at the door and then scramble inside.

After a moment he called her name.

“Allison.”

Still keeping an eye out, she went over to the bus and entered in backwards as she scanned the lot for any attacker. She turned round once she was safely inside and gasped.

There was blood everywhere, painting the bus in gruesome red. Her eyes found Derek from where he knelt next to a body, his fingers on the man’s neck.

“He’s got a pulse,” he said, “Call an ambulance.”

Allison nodded and then pulled out her phone and dialed 911. Once the operator answered she deepened her voice as much as she could and gave the report. When she was finished, Derek motioned for her to go.

When she refused he took her arm and hauled her out.

“Let’s go,” he hissed, “Forensics are going to be all over that bus and we’ve already left too many traces behind us.” When she protested he added, “We’ll wait until the ambulance comes and then well go. The alpha is already gone back to his den. We’re too late.”

Allison glared at him but he was right. They both pulled off their shoes, to avoid leaving bloody shoeprints, and ran back to the fence and found a hidden place to wait for the ambulance. Once the man was safely in their care they ran back to the camero and drove back to the loft to report their findings.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review junkie writer needs her daily fix!


	3. Chapter 3

Scott woke up disoriented. He frowned and rubbed the back of his head reflexively and looked at Stiles who was leaning over him. 

"What happened?" he said.

"You don't remember?" asked Stiles sounding worried.

"I remember the alpha howl," he said, “and you were talking to me but then nothing."

"Oh," said Stiles relieved, "That would be because Isaac knocked you out. Don't worry we did the same to Boyd."

Scott grimaced but gave a reassuring look to Isaac. "What happened to Boyd?' he asked instead.

"Same alpha," said Stiles, helping Scott to sit up. "So you aren't feeling murderous or anything right? Cause you know, I'd like a warning before you kill me."

"No," replied Scott, “I feel fine." Then he frowned. "Where's Allison?"

"She and Derek went after the alpha," Erica told him and then Isaac had to leap to hold Scott down as he shot up in alarm.

"Relax," said Lydia in her most cutting voice, "They aren't stupid. They aren't' going to engage him. Just make it hard for him to kill whomever he was going to kill. Although I think it's a faint chance that they'll be successful."

Scott didn't look reassured but Stiles gripped his shoulder and said, "She'll be okay man. She can take care of herself and Derek won’t let anything happen to her."

Scott signed and then deliberately relaxed against the couch. 

"Anyone heard from then though?" he asked. Isaac shook his head but told him it wasn't surprising. Scott shook his head distractedly and rubbed behind his neck.

"I don't like how that felt," he said referring to earlier, "But I think I will be able to resist him better now that he won’t take me by surprise."

"Well that's good to know" said Jackson snidely. Scott turned to get a good look at Jackson and frowned at what he saw. Jackson frowned back at him in confusion but Scott ignored it, closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths and Stiles felt some of the tension leak out of Scott's frame and consequently out of the pack. Jackson looked relieved, his body relaxing automatically and then looked startled as he understood what Scott had done. Scott examined him again and nodded in satisfaction and slumped down in the couch. 

A few seconds later though, all the wolves, plus the kanima, perked up because the camero was retuning. A few minutes later Allison and Derek were heading up to the loft. 

Allison came in first and let out a relieved sigh to see Scott up and alright. Scott let out a similar sigh to see her back safe and went over to her catching her in his arms and holding tight.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah," Allison hurried to assure him, "Are you?"

He nodded and then focused on Derek coming in behind her. Derek gave him an assessing look and then a faint nod. 

"What happened?" asked Stiles impatiently.

"We were almost too late," said Allison, “We found his last victim alive but the alpha was already gone. It was one of the bus drivers."

"Couldn't you have followed the trail from the bus?" asked Erica.

Derek shook his head. "The trail ended there. He went into the gray roads right after."

"Damn," muttered Jackson, "We'll never catch him in there."

"And it's probably why no one has either," Lydia said.

"Do you think he's done?" asked Isaac.

"Not if he finds out that the driver is still alive," said Allison.

"Well we can't let that happen," said Scott.

"Plus we don't know if he would stop there. Suppose he is really just killing randomly," Erica pointed out.

"Lydia and I will have to get on that fast."

"If the bus driver lives we could question him," Isaac said, "Maybe get a face or even a name if he might have known him."

"I'll do that," said Scott, "I can get into the hospital and no one will question me if I'm wandering around. They'll just assume I'm looking for my mom."

"Allison can't you track down a werewolf in the gray roads?" asked Jackson.

Allison hesitated and then nodded. "But I'm not that good at it," she said.

"Derek, Allison and I can go," Jackson said, "I doubt he'll be able to kill me."

"But you're pretty close to psychopathic on a normal basis," Sites told him, "How are you going to keep it together if he tries to pull you?"

Jackson's eyes darkened and he stiffly used his chin to point at Derek. But Derek shook his head.

 "Me and you won’t be able to take him," Derek said, "Not even with backup, not in the gray roads. Besides Allison won’t be able to find him. Alphas have the ability to make a pack den in the gray roads. It's off the roads but connected to them and usually links to a territory. If Beacon Hills is his territory he could hide in the pack den until he needs to come out. We won’t be able to find it or get in." 

"Fabulous," said Erica sarcastically, "Just great."

Derek glared but shrugged his shoulders. "Let's hope we get something out of the bus driver." 

* * *

 

 

When Boyd woke later they questioned him about the identity of his alpha but Boyd told them that the man had worn a hoodie when he had spoken to him. He would recognize his voice if he heard it but otherwise he couldn't help them. It was all up to the bus driver. 

* * *

 

 

The next evening found Scott at the hospital. He cradled a bag of takeout intended for his mom in his hands. He went through the front doors, inquired as to where he might find his mother and, on hearing she was at the reception desk on floor three, took the elevator up. 

He found his mom at the desk and presented her the food. She was surprised and grateful but looked at him suspiciously for any coming request. When none was forth coming she looked even more suspicious but gave him a half hug over the desk and went off with the food towards the lunch room.

Food delivered and now free from his mom, Scott dived behind the desk for the computer before his mom's replacement came. He soon found the room number of the bus driver and hurried away to the room. 

He opened the door cautiously and, finding no one else there, entered and shut the door carefully behind him. He approached the sleeping patient and felt a pang of regret waking the man from his rest. He looked terrible, swathed in bandages and hooked up to many machines.  
Scott grimaced but called out: "Hey! Hey! Wake up," as gently as he could. The man on the bed twitched and then moaned.

"Hey, wake up," Scott repeated.

The man moaned again but opened his eyes. HIs eyes fluttered and then opened properly. Then they narrowed in confusion. 

"Hi," said Scott rather dumbly, at a bit of a loss on how to continue now that the man was actually awake.

"I, um, I'm here to ask you a few questions about what happened to you. We need to know who attacked you."

The man stared blankly at Scott for a few moments before his eyes widened. He shook his head, too violently for Scott's liking, and said:

 "I don't know, I don't know. It was a monster. A monster. Wasn't a man."

"I know," said Scott, "but can you describe him?" 

The man stared at Scott, surprised by his answer and then his eyes widened with terror again. 

"You're one of them. You're one of them. You're here to kill me!"

"What?!" said Scott startled, "No. No. I don't want to hurt you. I'm trying to find the one who did this to you."

The man stared at Scott for a long time before he relaxed a little, probably by choice, most likely because he was too tired to maintain the stress on his body.

"Werewolf," he said, "Looked like an animal, not a man. Wanted to kill me, wanted to kill me." His eyes drifted off to the side and he was obviously reliving the attack. His heartbeat skyrocketed and machines began wailing. 

Scott was torn between wanting to calm the man and knowing he had to get out of there. Finally he ran. The nurses would take care of him. 

* * *

  
  
"He was animalistic," said Scott to the others, "Just like he was when he bit me. So no name, no face."

"Darn," said Stiles.

"He didn't remember anything else?" asked Allison.

"There was something strange," said Scott, "He knew about werewolves. He knew it was a werewolf who had attacked him," said Scott frowning.

"What?" said Derek, frowning, "He knew it was a werewolf?"

"Yeah," said Scott, "he thought I was a werewolf coming to kill him."

"How would he know about us?" asked Derek.

"Maybe he knew someone who was one," said Stiles quirking an eyebrow humorously, half indicating himself.

"Or,” said Isaac looking to Allison, "Maybe he knew hunters. Maybe he was one."

"No," said Allison, "He wasn't. But you're right in that he might have known hunters. Sometimes hunters get help from those people who know about the preternatural. Maybe he was one of those."

"Can't anyone be nice for once?" complained Erica. "Even the bus drivers are evil."

"Can't argue with you there," said Stiles sighing.

"He's not evil," protested Scott.

"If he's helping hunters kill werewolves, he's an enemy," said Derek, eyes darkening.

"Maybe he's just trying to protect the people he loves," Scott shot back, "And with an alpha running around killing people. You can kinda see why."

"So you would rather they kills us?" Derek snapped back.

"Nobody wants anybody to kill anybody!" Stiles interjected loudly. "Okay?" He looked at both of them and then added, "It's soo not time for your moon pms so don't start early."

Erica giggled and Scott and Derek both glared at each other for a moment more before simultaneously slumping their shoulders and backing away. 

Allison, sitting on the floor on a cushion, had her hands clenched tightly and Stiles glancing at her realized that all the stuff about hunters had hit her hard. 

Jackson, choosing that moment to walk in after an early dinner with his parents, took one look around, scowled and dropped down next to Allison and took one of her hands in his.

Scott finally realizing something was wrong went forward to find out what, just as Derek did. They both stopped and Lydia shook her head at them. She sidled up next to Allison and took her other hand, receiving a grateful smile from the girl.

"Stiles," said Lydia, "Tell them what we found about the John Doe."

"Well not much," said Stiles, "But he did have priors for arson which got me thinking about the second body my dad found."

"Which one was that?" asked Erica. She was on the other couch with Isaac, he feet tucked up comfortably. Boyd was the only one of their group not there. He was at home with his family.

"The one that was burned," Stiles answered. "It may have been a personal thing. So I checked it out and he also had priors for arson too."

Derek frowned. "What about the bus driver?" 

"We don't know. We didn't check him out yet."

"So all these dead bodies are related," stated Isaac.

"Possibly," said Lydia at the same time as Stiles who said:

"Definitely."

Lydia rolled her eyes. "We don't have enough data for it to be a solid lead."

"But it's a good hunch," Stiles refuted.

"Are any of the arson cases linked?" asked Jackson.

"No," said Stiles, "We checked."

"So no leads then?" said Erica.

"Yes,” said Jackson and Allison.

Derek cocked an eyebrow at them. They both started to talk than stopped and Allison indicated for Jackson to speak.

He nodded and said, "A werewolf with issues with fire. Check and see if there are any cases with werewolves who've been affected by fire."

Scott looked at Derek and said, "The Hales."

There was awkward moment where everyone else remembered that yeah, the Hales were burnt alive in their house.

"It's not me,” said Derek, " And the only person who survived other than me and Laura was my uncle Peter. But he's been in a coma for years. He's still there. I checked on him when we first came back."

"Besides," added Isaac, "The alpha doesn't need to be from Beacon Hills. He could have used the gray roads to travel here."

"So he could be from anywhere," said Scott looking depressed.

"We could still widen the search," said Stiles looking at Lydia for confirmation.

"I'll help," said Erica shrugging, "I don't mind."

"Sure," said Stiles, "We'll need you."

"Is Beacon Hills still his territory though?" asked Scott.

"He could claim it if no one else has it," said Derek grimly. "And he probably has."

"Damn it," muttered Scott and summed up their feelings entirely. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think?


	4. Chapter 4

Derek stood in the corner of the hospital room and studied the man on the bed. Here was a man who had helped hunters kill his kind. He wanted to kill him, it was tempting to but he knew the others would not approve, especially Scott. 

Instead he sighed and went to do what he came here to do, question the man in more detail, and find out the description of the alpha even in wolf form to see if any other werewolves would recognize him. 

"Wake up," he said, to the man on the bed, "Open your eyes," he commanded when the man twitched, "Open your eyes!" he snapped a little louder when the man appeared to be resisting the tug of awareness.

The bus-driver's eyes blinked open slowly and fluttered frantically for a few moments until his was truly awake. He turned his head slowly and started when he saw Derek. His mouth moved but no sound came out.

"I'm not here to hurt you," said Derek dispassionately, "I just want answers. I want a description of the alpha who did this to you. I don't care if he's in full wolf form."

But the man just blinked at him and then rasped out, “Hale," he said.

"Yes," said Derek impatiently.

But before he could say anything else the man reached out and snagged the bottom of his jacket and was staring earnestly, desperately at him.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" Alarms began wailing and Derek could hear the nurses responding. He tried to get the man to talk but his eyes were fluttering wildly now, his heart displaying tachycardia. Derek gave a frustrated snarl-sigh and tugged his jacket from the man's grasp and disappeared out the door before the nurses came.

 

* * *

  
  
While Derek was questioning the bus driver, Stiles, Lydia and Erica were busy trying to narrow down the search for the alpha and they had roped Jackson into helping as well. Boyd was babysitting his sister but was on his laptop at home, helping from there.

In the mean time Scott, Allison and Isaac went out grocery shopping to feed the masses. They went though the isles pulling, stuff off the shelves and soon finished their errand and went out to Allison's car to stock the bags in the trunk. Scott put the final bag in the car and Isaac closed it and then both of them looked at Allison who was standing frozen, staring at something behind them. They spun to see what it was and saw a red SUV and a man standing in front of it looking as gob smacked as Allison was.

The man recovered first.

"Allison?" he breathed.

That shook Allison out of her freeze.

"Go," she hissed at them, "Get in the car."

Scott and Isaac dived for the doors and Allison ran for the driver’s seat. 

"Allison," the man shouted running towards them. Allison fumbled for her keys and finally found them and jammed them into the ignition. The car started and she pulled off just in time. There was a slap as the man’s hand came down on the back of the car but they escaped. Allison drove like a mad woman for awhile and then slowed down and circulated their route before finally pulling into the loft’s parking lot.

They grabbed the groceries and ran upstairs where the door opened automatically for them. Jackson reeled back from their panicked entrance, his hand still by the button to open the door. He hit the button a moment later and followed them, demanding what was wrong.

The groceries were unceremoniously dumped on the table and Allison placed her hands on the edge of the tabled and leaned there, head bent as she took deep, harsh breaths. The others came up from their research project properly worried now. 

"When we know we'll tell you," said Isaac.

"There was a guy at the supermarket," said Scott," he knew Allison."

" My father," Allison said, her voice rough and strangled. " He was my father." 

"Whoa," said Stiles, "This just got very much worse. He's a hunter right?"

"Yes," said Allison, "The alpha must have attracted too much attention. Maybe Beacon Hills isn't the only place he struck. They might have looking out for other kills. That’s why they’re here so fast."

"Derek is not going to like this," said Erica.

"Nobody likes this," said Jackson, frowning. Because with hunters here they're all a target.

"I'm sorry," said Allison, " Scott, Isaac he saw you both. He’ll go home and research. Once they've found out about your history..."

"He’ll link it back to werewolves," said Lydia, "and he'll also find the rest of us."

"Do you think they'll attack the loft?" asked Erica worried.

"No," said Allison, " too close to other people. They'll try to ambush us elsewhere." 

" Who will?" asked Derek entering the loft.

"Allison’s dad," said Jackson and received a sharp punch from Allison herself.

He staggered away looking surprised and then Allison said crisply to Derek. " My biological family, is in town. They’re here for the alpha but won't mind staying for the rest of us."

Derek's face darkened rapidly. It was obviously he wanted to say something but opted to clench his jaw tightly for a few moments. 

When it became clear he wasn't going to be able to say anything for awhile, probably his version of being considerate for Allison, Scott stepped up to the landmined plate.

"Is there any way we can convince them to leave us alone after the alpha is gone?" he asked. 

Allison's whole body tightened for a moment and then she shook her head. "I doubt it," she said, "My previous family has always been tenacious. If we were younger, perhaps. When wolves are young they show some mercy, but not ones as old as we are. Not going by our legal age anyway. Besides we've been in the gray roads; that automatically classes us as dangerous."

"Also there might be a chance that they think we're in league with the alpha?" asked Stiles.

"Possibly," said Allison, "but it wouldn't matter if we were."

"Can you talk them round? Get them to leave?" asked Lydia, and because it was Lydia she got away with asking it.

"I don't know. They won’t trust my word," she paused, "If it were just my biological father, maybe. He's not soft but he's reasonable. But my mom is the one who'll make that decision. In my family, hunter women are the ones who do. Maybe, if I get an audience with her. Maybe I can come to an agreement." She bit her lip. "It'll be hard though."

"Maybe I can help when you go," said Lydia, "I'm not a wolf and that may play in my favour."

"Maybe,” said Allison, "But be on your guard until we work something out."

Derek nodded in agreement and then stalked upstairs. Scott drew Allison into a hug and Isaac, Stiles and Erica began to put away the groceries. 

"This sucks," said Stiles to no one in particular.

 

* * *

  
  
Back in the grocery car park, Chris Argent sat in his car; hand over his mouth as he breathed around the fact that his daughter was still alive. She was alive. And she was here. Allison was here. He couldn't believe it. Couldn’t believe his eyes. She was here, she was okay. And apparently she still hated him. Still hated them all.

He swallowed hard. That hurt. The fact that she had run from him without giving him a chance to talk to her. To at least find out if she was okay. 

He could never forget the day Allison had walked out on them. Couldn’t forget the hatred and disappointment in her eyes, especially at him, like he should have known better, been better, been stronger. He had tried to tell her that they did this for the good of people. He knew she had seen the bodies, he had shown her them himself but she still didn’t agree with them. Didn’t believe there wasn’t another way.

The death of the young wolf boy had been the final straw. Chris hadn’t wanted to kill him but the boy had rushed him. He didn’t have a choice. Besides the boy's pack had already been killed. Chris knew a rabid wolf when he saw one. 

"You're sick,” she’d said, "You're all sick. You say you’re better than them but you’re not! I, I can't do this anymore. I have blood on my hands too but I won’t have any more. No more innocent blood. I’m not going to take any more innocent lives. I'm done with you. I'm done with this family."

"Oh don't be so dramatic," Kate had drawled, "Honey, we do what we have to. I thought you were stronger than this."

"I'm stronger than _this_ ," Allison had said, indicating the scene. "I am stronger than this." And then she had disappeared into the gray roads. Chris had followed, searched all night for so many nights but Allison had disappeared.

Victoria had finally ordered him back. Allison had made her choice. If she died, she died. If she lived, she lived. Her choice.

And apparently she had. She had lived.

Chris swallowed hard. Oh goodness. She was still alive! He breathed shakily through his hand with the knowledge.


	5. Chapter 5

Going to school on Monday felt a bit surreal. Everybody was on edge, looking out for hunters, looking out for the alpha, struggling to put the pieces together for this puzzle, trying to get an idea of where the illusive alpha would hide. Stiles had found that the bus driver did indeed also have priors for arson as well. He, Erica and Boyd had also coughed up three more unsolved homicides where people had either been brutally murdered by claw and fangs and/or fire that they figured were related. All of the victims had had priors for arson. This supported Allison’s theory that the alpha had killed elsewhere bringing the hunters down on all their heads.

School was torment for Stiles who was unable to concentrate now that he had a mystery to solve and he almost blew up himself and Scott. Scott was worried about Allison who was clearly not herself. He and Lydia shared more than one worried look but he was stuck steering his destructive friend from self-destruction and left her up to the task of steering Allison away from worrying too much.

Unfortunately for Lydia she was unsuccessful. All she managed to accomplish was to make Allison hide her real feelings behind a cheerful  façade. In the end it was Jackson who came to the rescue.

Allison found him leaning next to her locker at the end of school as she went to gather up some books she wanted to take home.

“Want to go for ice-cream?” he asked.

She blinked at him and gave him a little laugh. “What?”

“Ice-cream,” he said shrugging, “You, me, now.”

“I don’t think Scott is going to be too pleased that you’re asking me to go with you for ice-cream,” said Allison, putting a book away and extracting another.

“But you don’t want to talk to Scott,” said Jackson, “Or Lydia or Erica or even Derek. And I don’t want to talk about what’s bothering you, I just want chocolate mint.”

Allison huffed out a laugh. “Fine,” she said, “But you’re buying.”

Jackson shrugged again and Allison closed her locker, waved to Erica across the hall who’d heard their conversation and tossed her the keys to her car.

Erica snatched the keys out of the air and said, “I’ll bring her back safe and sound.”

“Thanks,” Allison called and headed out to Jackson’s porche.

They had just reached the porche and dropped their bags in when someone spoke.

“Allison.”

Allison froze at the sound of her father’s voice. She swallowed once and turned to face him.

“How nice to see you again Mr…?”

“Argent,” he said firmly.

On the other side of the car she was aware of the way Jackson stiffened. She however smiled and said, “Mr. Argent. Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Allison,” he said his voice somewhere between warning and pleading. But she was having none of it.

“If there isn’t anything, we really need to get going. I kind of have this ice-cream date I’m looking forward to and then…”

He cut her off there. “Allison, listen to me. I just want to talk okay?”

“Really?” she said, suddenly angry, “Really Chris? You just want to talk? I don’t remember that being in the protocol. I don’t remember that being in the code. We talk to those who we slaughter into the ground? Was that how it went?”

Her father jerked a bit and tightened his jaw. “Allison we do what we do to protect people, you know that.”

Allison took a breath to answer, felt the comforting presence of Jackson behind her and closed her mouth. She took another breath and drew on the strength of the pack, more for comfort than for actual strength.

“I think you and I will have to disagree on that,” she said instead. “At least on your methods, in some cases.”

Chris’ jaw tightened again and he nodded and then said, “That’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What is it then?” she asked.

“I,” her father began and then faltered, “I just, I wanted to know if you were okay.”

She jerked a little in surprise and then slowly nodded. “I am okay,” she said, “I’m happy here.”

He breathed out a sigh through his nose and then said, “Good. That’s good.”

“Is it?” she asked, “Are you here to kill my friends?” It wasn’t with malice she asked with. This was pure curiosity, pure fishing for info.

“We’re here for the alpha,” he said, “Your mother is still deciding to do what to do with the rest of them.”

“All of us,” she said quietly, “What you decide for my friends, you decide for me. I will share their fate. Make sure she knows that.”

Her father looks pained. But he gives a slow nod. “Is it one of yours though?” he asks instead. He can play subtle but he chose not to and Alison is graceful for it.

“No,” she says, “We have no alpha. No biting the innocent from us.”

“Do you know who he is?” he asks.

“No,” she said, “We’re still trying to find out.”

He looks surprised.

“We mayn’t have an alpha,” she said quietly, “But we’re still a pack and this is ours in truth. It’s his only in name, only in the den he has. He is a usurper. Beacon Hills is ours. We don’t tolerate killing.”

Jackson, who’d been surprisingly silent through the entire conversation added, “And while he mightn’t care what you do to any other preternaturals while here, we will.” His voice had been calm, but deadly and the warning was delivered in the nicest tones he could possibly offer. The fact that you could just hear the doubled tones of the pack directive speaking out didn’t detract from the sugar sweet tone and added just that layer of threat.

Allison watched as he father’s eyes narrowed. After a moment though he said, “We have a code,” he said, “And we’ll stick to it. If they hunt us, they will themselves hunted in turn. You stop us. You interfere and we will defend ourselves even if that means hurting you. We don’t tolerate killing either.”

“And if Victoria decides we’re a threat?”

Chris squares his shoulders and says, “Prevention is better than having another body end up in the morgue.”

Allison lets out the breath she was unaware that she’d been holding and lifts her head. “Then if it is so, we will fight,” she says to him and turns and opens the porches’ door.

Before she gets in though her father speaks again, “Hale?”

She pauses and then answers, “Yes. It suits me.”

“Symmetry,” he says.

“No,” she tells him, “Friendship and family.” Jackson hops into the porche without bothering to open the door and Allison slides into the seat.  Her father steps to the side as Jackson reverses and gives her a nod and then they’re gone. She sees him staring after them in the rearview mirror and he continues to do so until they turn a corner and she can see him no more.

It is only then she realizes that she is trembling.

* * *

 

They still go out for ice-cream because Jackson really wants his chocolate mint ice-cream. Allison gets a sundae and they spend most of the time in silence swiping at their ice-cream and devouring each bite slowly. Both their phones had been blowing up but Jackson had sent a text earlier on that had stopped any incoming messages cold.

After a long while though, Jackson speaks.

“Does Derek know you’re an Argent?”

“I’m not an Argent,” she says tightly, “I’m a Hale.”

“Well does he know that you were an Argent?”

She shakes her head slowly. If there was one thing she knew, it was that Derek hated hunters and hated the Argents especially. Strangely enough his hatred of the Argents wasn’t something he advertised but over many conversations and minute little clues in his body language she had figured it out. As far she knew though only Lydia, Stiles and Jackson had noted that particular fact.

“Do you think it would matter?” she asked finally twisting her spoon in her sundae.

Jackson shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. He’d take it better coming from you though, before he sees them.”

Allison sighed and dropped her spoon, pushing away the whole dish. She put her head in her hands and let out a noisy breath.

“You’re right,” she said finally. “We should get back.”

Jackson shrugged again, took the last bite of his ice-cream and stood up, shrugging on his jacket. Allison pulled back her dish, ate a final mouthful and then stood with him, breathed out again; preparing herself for a conversation she didn’t want to have and then nodded to Jackson to tell him she was ready.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek and Allison have their talk. Then the pack talks. Then Derek, Scott and Stiles have another talk.

When they got back to the loft they were promptly mobbed. After assuring everyone they were in fact all right, Alison looked at Derek and said:

“We have to talk.”

He gave her a searching stare and then nodded. They left Jackson to tell the rest of the pack what had transpired and went upstairs. Derek turned on the stereo and popped on the first CD he found, which happened to be Erica’s and filled with…theme songs?

Oh well, Allison thought, there were worst things to be having this conversation to than Lord of the Rings. Once Derek had stopped making a face at the music he turned around, crossed his arms and tilted his head in invitation for her to start.

She found her mouth abruptly dry. Which Derek no doubt knew as he could scent her emotions.

“This is difficult for me,” she started, which caused a minor quirk in Derek’s eyebrow but nothing more. Her cousin was going to let her sweat this one out, which, was fair.

She twisted her hands together for a moment before stopping and said, “You know I am of hunter blood. You knew and you still accepted me. You still gave me your name and your, your, you made me family. And there is nothing that I appreciate more than that. I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate that.”

Derek stood silent, waiting for the rest of it.

Allison took another breath and breathed it out. “It’s just…It’s my, my biological family, they’re, well they have a name too and, and it’s Argent.” She closed her eyes for a brief moment before opening them, still not quite looking at him now.

“I was born an Argent. And it’s the Argents that are here. And, I know…I know you hate them.  I don’t know what they did or if I had anything to do with it. But I thought you should know.”

At last she looked up at him to find that he was not watching her. In fact his eyes were closed, his jaw taut as he clearly battled a host of emotion, most evidently, rage.

It took a long time, and she could feel the tremble of it through the pack but she stood there and waited. She waited until he had control of himself and he opened his glowing blue eyes to look at her. They stared at each other for a long time and then he said:

“You’re pack. You left them and chose this and you had nothing to do with what they did.  I, I gave you my name when you had none and you’ve never given me cause to regret it. I offered you family when neither of us had any and you accepted and I don’t think we’ve ever had cause it regret that either. You may have been born an Argent but you chose to be a Hale.” It wasn’t kindly said but he meant every word of it.

He added after a moment’s pause, “There’s a sort of fate in it. You became my family, after,” his voice choked a little here, “after yours took mine.”

Allison’s mouth opened in horror and he gave her a grim bitter smile, and a nod. She took a step towards him before halting. And he didn’t encourage her. They stood in this frozen tableau for a while more before Derek moved. He brushed past her but halted long enough to slide an arm around her waist and give her a squeeze before he was gone.

Allison remained a moment longer before she turned off the music. Then she stood there for awhile hugging herself, shaking. She didn’t know when the tears started falling down her face.

When she came downstairs the pack was in that mode between frenzy and oh-look-homework. Scott pulled her into his arms when she appeared and she buried her head in his shoulder and just breathed in the scent of him. When they finally pulled apart Stiles pounced on her to reveal all that Jackson hadn’t.

 

* * *

 

 

“Okay,” said Scott after everyone had been brought up to speed, “What do you think they’ll do next? I mean, how do hunters track down other preternatural?”

There was a moment while Allison thought about what the Argent’s next move would be but before she could speak Lydia answered.

“Bait,” she said, “They can use bait. The bus driver, he’s still alive isn’t he? Won’t the alpha come to finish him off?”

“You’re right,” said Allison. “They’ll stake out around the hospital, wait for him to come.”

“So we’re just going to sit back and let the hunters do all the work?” asked Isaac eyebrows quirking.

“No,” said Scott.

Derek edged an eyebrow at him.

Scott shrugged. “Do you think they’ll be able to take him on by themselves?”

“Maybe,” said Derek. He doesn’t sound too bothered if the alpha takes out a few of the hunters on the way but Scott is a bleeding heart and he does.

“Look the chances of stopping him are better if two of us are working on the problem.”

“And what if they think we’re a problem?” Boyd asked.

Scott exhales. “I guess we’ll deal with that later.”

“Forgive me,” said Erica, “But that’s a shitty plan. Maybe we should let them do all the work.”

“This is our territory,” said Allison flatly, “It’s up to us. Whether or not we have hunters of our tails. And I don’t know about you but I am done running.”

There’s a silence.

Then Stiles breaks it saying, “She’s right.” But he’s looking at Derek and Scott and something passes between the three of them. Scott looks away first.

“So we’ll stake out the hospital too,” Stiles continues, “And hopes Madame Hunter doesn’t give the order to shoot us in our furry or scaly behinds, respectively.”

There’s a snort from Jackson and Derek looks like this is the stupidest thing he’s ever heard but he doesn’t actively object. With that they break up to rustle up dinner and the kitchen becomes too filled with people until Stiles, Scott and Boyd chases everybody out.

Dinner is ready in about forty-five minutes and by that time Lydia has scribbled the answers to Stiles and Scott’s chemistry homework, although she leaves them to figure out what exactly she did to get there. While everyone else is hurriedly setting the table Allison takes a moment to touch Derek gently on the wrist and say:

“It’s not just fate.”

He gives her a slight, eyes only smile and agrees, “It’s not just fate.” She doesn’t think everything will be the same between them for awhile but at least it will be okay and she can live with that. She returns to helping the others set the table and Jackson bumps into her gently to let her know he knows.

The three boys emerge from the kitchen with food and the pack puts away their worries for the night.

 

* * *

 

 

The rest of the pack goes home by ten save for Stiles and Scott who are lingering to talk to Derek. The other three residents who live the loft bid them a sleepy goodnight and head upstairs.

Stiles, Scott and Derek all stare at each other for a moment before moving to talk outside of the loft. When they’re sure they’re safe from other wolf ears Stiles opens with, “So we sort of have a problem.”

“I won’t do it,” said Scott, “I won’t kill him. Besides would I have to? Would his power pass to me if I’m his beta?”

“It depends,” says Derek. “Most of the time it doesn’t. It almost has to be a wolf. It’s how hunters have been cutting down our lines for years.”

“I can’t do it,” said Scott, “I can’t live with myself.”

Stiles grimaces. “I can’t believe I’m saying this but we kinda need an alpha.” Scott shoots him a betrayed look. Stiles winces but stands by his statement.

“And we can’t let another alpha power be destroyed,” Derek says. “Every time they do it leads us closer to the day where there’s a bunch of betas alone running around. There are alphas for a reason. We need them.”

Scott grimaces this time. He knows Derek is right but Scott, he’s a protector, not a killer. He never wants to be a killer, never wants to be the sort of alpha as the one who bit him, never wants to feel that red coating of blood on his hands. He doesn’t know how he could and not fall into the dark side. Cause he knows what lies inside him. He isn’t as good as everyone believes him to be. He knows the monster that lies within him and it waits for the death of innocence, of his morals and lines for it to be birthed to the outside world. He never wants that monster to wake.

“I know,” he says. A world without alphas would be chaos, not just for werewolves but for others. Most of everything needs predators or they’ll overrun. “I know I get that. I know that it’ll be advantageous for us too. We’ll have a proper hold on the territory and a den which will give us some safety if we need it. And it’ll prevent this same situation from happening again. I get the advantages of this. But, but this is killing someone and, and no matter how bad they are, what they’ve done, killing them isn’t right.”

Derek is impatient. He can feel it, smell it. But Derek opens his mouth and says as philosophically as Derek can say anything, “What if he was already dying? Would you do it then? If there were no way to save him?”

Scott gapes at him but Stiles looks kind of impressed with the question. Stiles, Scott thinks, can be too practical sometimes.

“I,” he stutters, “I, don’t know. Maybe. I’m not sure. I guess I’ll have to be there. Besides,” he continues, his brain catching up with the scenario, “how would he even get that way?”

Derek shrugs. “There is a host of hunters going after him.”

Stiles snorts. “I think this is about the best case scenario we can get out of this today folks,” he says. “And as much as I actually love to talk things to death, especially important things, like killing people, killing alphas, we have no idea, not one single clue, about how all of this is going to happen. Besides Scott, the whole thing could solve itself if the hunters kill him before we get to him.”

Scott shrugs not looking any more comforted. Inside him Jackson churned, clearly being upset about the upset in the upper pack structure. All three of them grimaced and take deep calming breaths. They settle themselves as much as they can and finally Jackson stops protesting and settles back down.

“It’s like having a baby monitor in your room,” Stiles mutters rubbing a hand over his face and Scott chuckles and Derek even cracks a smile.

“Go to sleep both of you,” he says, “You have school at eight and I have to be at work in ten minutes. Both boys sigh at the reminder and Scott says:

“Be careful.”

Derek shoos them towards Stiles’ jeep and heads back into the loft to get ready for work.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

 

For fun they put Jackson and Isaac to watch with the hunters. What’s even funnier is the fact that the hunters are only seeing Isaac. Jackson is above him, half-shifted, clinging to the overhang they are hiding beneath. Occasionally, when he is bored, his tail dips down to half-tickle against Isaac’s neck. Predictably Isaac isn’t pleased. And the irate beta only has the hunters more on their toes.

The others watch the proceedings via binoculars and keep an eye out for the alpha themselves. They also watch out for Victoria’s order that might put them all in the line of fire from the hunters. So far it appears as if there has been no decision made, luckily.

They wait for a long time and….a long time. After awhile Stiles gets everybody bored with knock knock jokes. For some reason Derek keeps saying ‘who’s there’ though even if he sounds like he wants to kill whoever’s knocking.

It’s two in the morning when there is a stir. There is a blur of movement on a nearby roof and then a wolf-man shape is seen briefly before disappearing into the shadows. Hunters come alive and so do the pack.

The alpha is making for the hospital room with the bus driver, apparently not caring whether or not there are hunters and the pack. Once he is in range the hunters start firing. He dodges them easily and Isaac whistles at how fast he is.

They are all startled when Derek howls though. The alpha checks in surprise and then jerks as an arrow grazes him. Scott howls next, a signal, a calling, a beta calling his alpha. He concentrates on the faint pull he has to this alpha but anchors himself to the pack. It works. The alpha jerks to a stop and growls. Boyd joins Scott and the alpha actually takes a step in their direction before resisting and howling himself to call them.

Both betas eyes flare yellow and they struggle against the pull. They are released though when Isaac hits the alpha smack in the chest. They go rolling over the roof. They disentangle somehow and the alpha barely dodges a swipe of Jackson’s claws.

He’s half in control but Isaac’s focus on the fight is all that is holding him to himself. Then Derek howls and it’s for the pack. It’s in time because the alpha comes at them. Isaac escapes with a single slash on his arm and Jackson whips his tail at the alpha. Then they’re all ducking for cover because the hunters are peppering the roof with arrows.

The alpha gives one hateful look at the room where the bus driver is held and dives back the way he came.

Isaac and Jackson make to go after him but arrows stop them. They don’t hit them. Purposely. But they don’t allow them to pursue the alpha. Well fine. The two on the roof shift back and fold their arms and then the hunters are springing after the alpha.

Isaac and Jackson share a look because they both know that Derek and the others are after the alpha now. Once the hunters are a sufficient distance away they head after them all hoping to catch up before things get really messy.

 

The pack had sprung up for the alpha a second before the hunters headed after him. They try to cut him off but he is faster than all of them and still manages to pull ahead. Arrows skitter warningly next to them but they ignore it. Derek and Scott take lead, Boyd and Allison flanks them. The alpha had run out of roof and drops down to the ground. Which is exactly what they want. Once they’re close enough Allison fires a flash arrow and it whistles past the alpha hitting the ground in front of him, flashing into his eyes.

He roars and rears back, hand shielding his eyes. They others close the gap but not fast enough. Derek’s attack misses, the alpha dodging out of the way, even though his eyes sight is still a little blurry. Being an alpha though, that’s clearing up faster than average. Scott’s attack is also dodged but that was what Scott meant for him to do. It puts him in the best position for Boyd to hit him fair and square. They both go rolling over and then the alpha pushes Boyd away.

He instantly gets stabbed through by two arrows. He howls and shoots off into the darkness. A trail of arrows follows him and the pack has to hold back just in case they’re hit by mistake.  The alpha continues running ahead and then in between one leap and the other disappears into the gray roads. It was not a moment too soon for him because a screech of tires announced the arrival of a camero that shot through the space where the alpha had been a moment earlier.

“Damn it!” yelled Erica slamming a hand on the wheel. “We missed him!”

“Unfortunate,” said Lydia and gestured to the others, the two of them having been the only pack members who’d not been waiting with the others. Scott, Allison, Derek and Boyd somehow crammed themselves into the car, which reversed, made a precarious u-turn, stopped for Stiles who threw himself over Derek and Boyd, and headed back towards the hospital. Isaac and Jackson caught up with them before they reached there and both boys simply jumped onto the roof of the car which speeded away once they had a good grip.

* * *

 

Chris Argent and his men watched the departure of the pack and then he and his men dived into the gray roads after the alpha but search as they could, they didn’t find him.

* * *

 

Two blocks away from the hospital, Stiles and Scott tumble out the camero and Isaac and Jackson tumble off it and run over to the jeep which is parked on street. They get in and continue on home to the loft.

Once inside Stiles says, “Well that was refreshing.”

“You have a bad definition of refreshing,” Body informs him.

“Informative,” says Allison dropping her bow and quiver onto the coffee table.

Derek pushes Isaac onto the couch and takes the first aid kit from Lydia. Together the both of them set about seeing to the slash on his arm which, being alpha inflicted, isn’t healing very fast. They clean it out and then after watching it critically, decide they have to stich it. Derek holds down his arm and Isaac grits his teeth as the needle pierces his flesh. Scott sits on the arm of the couch and takes his other hand and begins to pull the pain from him.

When it becomes too much for him, Scott trades off to Erica, who manages to hold out until the entirety of Isaac’s slash is stitched up. When it’s done Isaac slumps in relief and Lydia puts down the needle, hand shaking. Allison takes the needle from her and drops it into an empty plastic bottle and then chivvies Lydia off to the bathroom to wash her hands.

After a moment Isaac also goes to shower. Stiles hands out hot chocolate to everyone, waits until Isaac is back after his shower and then declares his desire of going to speak to Victoria Argent.   


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles talks to Victoria.

Despite considerable objection Stiles knocks on the door of the Argents, not the very next day but the day after that. He is alone and unarmed and completely unconcerned for his own safety. The door swings open and Stiles finds himself face to face with Chris Argent. He gins broadly.

“Hey Mr. Argent,” he says, “Can I come in?”

Chris stares at him without expression but then gives a little smile and says, “Sure.”

Stiles steps inside and Chris closes the door behind him and ushers him into the kitchen.

“Anything to drink?” Chris asks him in a friendly way.

“Nah,” says Stiles, “I just want to talk to Mrs. Argent.

Chris gives him a look of surprise, gives his head a little twist, raises an eyebrow and then calls out, “Victoria, it’s for you.”

Victoria Argent is not the only one who walks into the kitchen. Various other hunters all come with her and take up positions in the kitchen.

Stiles plops himself on a stool at the island.

Victoria nods at him and said, “If you’ll give me a moment…”

She puts on mittens and heads over to the oven where she removes a tray of cookies. She removes the cookies from the tray and puts them on a plate which she brings over to the island. She then fetches herself a glass of wine and settles opposite him across the island.

“Cookie?” she offers.

Stiles can’t help but appreciate the way she tries to make him feel as if she had made the cookies for him, as if she knew he had been planning to walk through her front door.

He takes a cookie and bites into it without hesitation. He feels rather than sees the reaction around him. Victoria however acts as if nothing of note has occurred.

“So what is the reason for this visit?” she asks and sips her wine.

“Well I wanted to thank you for not killing us the other night,” Stiles said. “We really appreciated it.”

“You’re not particularly welcome,” she says with a slight annoyed twitch of her eyebrow. “I would have rather deal with you as well. It would have been far more practical to have killed you.”

“Yes,” Stiles aggress, “Yes it would have been a practical plan but,” he added not a moral one. Now I know you have some morality,” he continued.

“And how are you so sure about that?” She had raised an eyebrow and a little smile edged up one of the corners of her mouth. She was mocking him a little.

“Because Allison would’ve have killed all of you before she left.” Stiles’ reply is not mocking and it cuts through the room, though you would have barely noticed it.

Only one person reacted.

“Allison wouldn’t do that,” Chris objects.

“She would’ve,” Stiles said, “She doesn’t know that either yet though.”

“Allison,” said Victoria, “was weak. She couldn’t do what was needed to be done.”

“Allison,” said Stiles stressing her name, “was not weak. She did you know defy her family, and her upbringing and oh, lost her home, and said family, to do what was right. That’s something you would never do so don’t call her weak when you don’t have the guts to think with your own mind.” Stiles is usually all emotion. This time he is cool, calm and yet coiled tightly.

Victoria’s grip on the wineglass tightened for the briefest of moments. Then she sipped from it and said calmly, “If you think I would let a werewolf come in here and…” She doesn’t get to finish.

“Oh,” I ‘m not a werewolf,” Stiles says and grins like he’s found the best prize in the box.

“But,” Victoria stats and it’s the first time in this whole conversation that she is actually off balance.

Stiles reaches over and grips the rim of her glass. It takes some effort but he snaps part of the glass off and the places carefully next to his vein and presses down. Blood wells as he slices the skin.

“Not a werewolf,” he says, “Not a kanima, or even a banshee, just a human.”

There is silence and Stiles drops the glass of the island and begins to play with the blood, streaking it across his forearm with a finger. He works his way around the cut streaking lines on his forearm, finally working his way to his palm and streaking blood into it. It hurts a lot and stings like crazy but Stiles does his best not to let it show.

After a moment he stops and reaches out and takes one of Victoria’s hands in his, resting the back of her hand in his palm. She doesn’t even flinch from the blood but then again Stiles hadn’t actually expected her to.

“Allison told me how this goes,” he said. “You’re a general. You know how to control yourself,” A finger traces down her forearm, “and you also know how to control others.” The same finger trails over her fingers in an arc. “The pack members are the soldiers; the alpha is the general. Just as you control your soldiers, so does the alpha control the pack.”

Victoria says nothing.

Stiles waits and then continues, “You know you call yourselves hunters but you forgot that werewolves are hunters too. You forget, conveniently I might add, that we’re more like you than you want to believe. But let’s talk about soldiers.”

“Alright,” says Victoria. It’s cool, amused.

“You know soldiers,” Stiles says. “Heck you know them better than I might ever do. But you know that you don’t give so much power, for so long without losing some of them. Stiles traces his fingers from midway down Victoria’s forearm. “I’ve seen it happen with deputies. They start of great and then the power gets to them and they get strange, dangerous, maybe even a little feral.”

Not a muscle in Victoria’s body tightens and Stiles smiles grimly. “Yeah, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s seems fast doesn’t it? It’s faster with soldiers. All of a sudden they just flip,” and here his finger twanged over a vein in her arm, “but before there were subtle little signs weren’t there? And after so long, after being in charge for so long, you learn to notice them, you could do it in your sleep.” He flips her hand over and traces back up her forearm slowly. “You find some of them, rehabilitate, teach them to cope. And you fix some of them don’t you? But others you still lose.”

“Do you kill them though? When you start seeing the signs? No.” and is voice is gentle but so hard. “You take them out of the job, move them away. Killing them, killing them is always a last resort. It’s our last resort too.”

“I, I’m not a general. “He looks at her earnestly. “I’m the thing that holds generals together.” His fingers tap and slide down her forearm, gluing back the signs of brokenness, of instability. “So if you have to kill anyone first,” he says, “kill me. Just remember,” he adds and drops her arm gently back on the island, “I never hunted you.”

He slides back the stool, stands and makes his way to the front door. He is almost there when he hears Victoria call his name.

“Stiles,” she says.

He pauses and turns and she walks up to him and hands him an alcohol pad and a band aid.

“Thanks,” he says. He turns to go out the door and she says:

“You were hunted.”

“We were hunted,” Stiles says, and his shoulders hunch down. “Only one of us survived.”

When he gets out the front door He finds Derek and Allison propped up on his jeep, waiting for him.

He grins at them and heads over. The two look at the hunters behind him coolly and then get into the jeep.

 

* * *

 

Chris Argent watches the jeep drive off and then returns inside with Victoria. They both take a cookie and much on it.  After a moment Chris asks, “Are you going to hunt them?”

“No,” says Victoria.

“Because of what he said?”

“Because of what they did,” she replies.

But Chris Argent knows his wife’s eyes, sees himself in Stiles. They’re both what holds generals together.

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

His dad cleans his guns on the table. Stiles does his homework opposite him, breathing in the scent of gun oil and gunpowder. His dad is feeling unsettled he knows. Their little shebang at the hospital didn’t go unnoticed. There weren’t any arrows left but flash bomb arrow heads still leave a mark and holes are still left behind. Chris and his men cleaned up the blood for them but still the Sherriff station knows that something is going on.

Add the psycho burning people and the animal clawing up bus-drivers, he’s pretty worried. Add to that mystery people who leaves holes but no arrows or bullets. Of course, Stiles cannot tell him that both killers are one and the same.

He’s never told his dad about the world that he’s ended up in. Chosen to be in. He can’t bear to. Can’t bear to involve him in the horror that is his world. He doesn’t know if his father will ever be able to see the good side of it.  Some days he’s not sure he can find the good side.

He feels a restless surge of the bond. It’s impatient, sharp, demanding. It’s also here and annoyed that Stiles would forget that. It’s Jackson. Of course it is. But brushing up behind him is Erica. Warm and welcome and understanding. Boyd is steady next to her, amused.

Stiles relaxes from the stiff set he found himself in. The others relax next to him. It is then that Scott nips in a brush of acknowledgement. A whisper of the comradeship in the dark, the connection in broken eyes and something else, warm and steady. Scott in all his adorable but steady, (deadly) form.

A corner of Stiles’ mouth quirk to the side.

“Anything?” he asks of his father who is reading reports while cleaning his guns. His father shakes his head dejectedly.

“There’s just…so much that doesn’t make sense.”

“You’ll figure it out eventually,” Stiles tells his dad and settles into his literature homework.

He doesn’t ever mean to let his dad figure this out, but he doesn’t think that that’s so bad. He doesn’t think protecting him from this beautiful, terrible world is so bad.

 

* * *

 

The whole pack is out that night hunting the alpha. The hunters have the hospital locked down and the area in the gray roads around it also carefully protected. The pack therefore has decided to hunt on their own. There’s no guarantee that the bus driver was the last and maybe they’ll stop him before he puts someone else in the hospital, or the morgue.

Derek and Erica finds themselves paired together. It’s not a bad match considering that the pairs were decided by pulling names out a hat. They’re scurrying around some of the more urban areas of Beacon Hills. Just patrolling really for lack of anything more concrete in doing.

They’ve just reached the school again when Derek stops and lifts his head, arrested by the familiar scent of the alpha. He raises a warning hand to Erica. She drops her body into a slinking crouch and they creep forward through the gates.

While they move forward Erica employs the excellent powers that teenagers have; to text while doing anything really. It’s to alert the others. Tell them exactly where they are and what they plan to do. The bond is already hummin when she sends the text. The others already know they’re running into danger. But extra information can’t ever hurt.

She flicks out her claws when Derek does but doesn’t fully transform. There are still lights on at the school. They can hide really long nails but they can hide a full-on transformation, even though they’re both itching for it. The concentration hey have to use keep themselves normal looking could cost them the fight. But they’ve got to try.

Erica feels the others swooping closer, moving at top speed but Derek is already moving forward. The alpha might kill someone here if they don’t move fast and disappear again.

They’re slinking down the corridors as fast as they can, being careful to step light and not brush against the walls because werewolf hearing and all that. Soon they hear a rapidly beating heart though and a shaking voice. A snarl, and then they’re both moving as fast as they can, forgetting all about being quiet. Noise is good, noise is great. Noise is distracting, is warning. Maybe he’ll leave before killing whichever teacher it is he’d set his eyes on.

Derek goes through the doorway first in time to grab the teacher and drag him to the ground to escape a thrown chair. Erica makes it one step through the door before she whirls around and dives down the corridor after the alpha who has gone through the other door.

The alpha is midleap, and heading into the gray roads when she rounds the corner but he doesn’t make it. Instead he somehow manages check himself in the bare nick of time and twists to avoid the arrow Allison sent towards him. The arrow shot towards Erica who snatches it out of the air and throws it at the alpha. It hits him in the back.

The alpha makes to dive to the side and go into the gray roads but another helpful arrow from Allison discourages him. The alpha whirls with a speed that still makes Erica dizzy and goes through her. She is flung straight through the wall. She’s pretty sure something is broken She coughs up blood and thinks blearily.

_Help._

There is an enraged roar. Derek, her mind fuzzily identifies.

Then another roar joins him. Dark and deadly and powerful. She can never stop a shiver when Scott roars. The others are never afraid of Scott’s roar. They think it’s cool. Erica does too. And she isn’t afraid, not really. But it’s just, she can hear the raw power in that roar. Knows on some deep, visceral level what it means.

She hears Derek howl. It’s in rage but it’s so beautiful. It’s almost pure, tonal wolf, crystal, and pure clean lines. The alpha replies, all deep guttural rage, beautiful, too though. He is something like a real wolf too but…not. Not anymore.

She wishes she could see the fight but she can’t seem to move right now. But really, she doesn’t need to. She can feel the power that Derek swings at the alpha. Feel the power as it flows though his muscles. Feel Scott cutting around him to slash at the opening Derek’s made. Feel the arch of his back as he bends and lets Derek swipe at the alpha over him. Feels the quick step of his feet as he spins around and attacks the alpha’s flank.

Derek moves, all skill and power.  Scott is a dirtier, messier fighter. But he has power and a sort of grim experience guides his strikes.

They’re both moving so fast, Erica feels the punches and kicks after they’ve been executed. They’re not alphas and she wonders blearily how they are managing to do what they’re doing.

Allison is a cool gray line in her consciousness. She is deadly and accurate and focused. Arrows feel like cool bands of ice as they streak out from her, closing any gap in the barricade that is Scott-Derek. They are fighting to keep him here. Trying to stay so close to him, he doesn’t get a chance to slip into the gray roads but they’re none of them, equipped for dealing with an alpha, not for long. The wounds he is giving them are not healing and they won’t last for long. She can feel them waver in her mind and pushes more of herself at them.

“You’re an idiot.” It’s Stile’s voice but she’s pretty sure that he’s’ channeling Lydia right now.

Stiles pushes some of the power she’d sent out, again, back to her and them sends some of his own strength to the fighting pair. He wavers on his feet, or maybe that’s just Erica’s vision.

Lydia’s hands roll her body gently onto her back and Erica lets out a weak moan.

“It’s just the direct injuries that won’t heal, right?” she asks Stiles.

Stiles nodded. “I’ve stopped her from giving them anymore,” he says. “So she’ll heal, well, not normal, but fast enough.”

Lydia grimaces and holds Erica’s head carefully and snaps it back into place. Stiles turns so white Erica was sure he was going to go transparent. Then he goes green. But he reaches for her and helps Lydia roll her onto her front. There a moment where they feel out her injuries and then Stiles making grossed out noises was shifting the vertebra on her back into a relatively straight alignment. Once he’s shifted all the pieces back, they grab her leg and pull together. The one that was twisted weirdly straightens out with a disgusting squish-crack and Stiles moans in such a way that precludes epic vomiting.

Erica waits for the healing to kick in and then sits up gingerly.

“I think we have to get this rib out my lung,” she informs them.

There is a huge crash in the hallway and then Derek lets out a frustrated roar. The alpha was gone. Lydia glanced at the hallway behind her, grimaced and then took Erica’s broken rib and pulled. Erica screams and then slumps into unconsciousness.


	10. Chapter 10

 

Erica woke up slowly. When she was fully awake she attempted to take stock of her surroundings.

"Easy," says Deaton, "You still heal faster than a human but you have to take it easy."

Erica gives a stiff nod and rasps out, "The clinic?"

"Yeah," says Scott. He is standing next to her, and she can see some bandages and op-site on his arms and peeking out from under his clothes.

"The alpha?" she asks after he's given her some water through a straw.

"Gone," he says. He shrugs. "We couldn’t really fight him, the three of us. But we have a better idea of how he moves now."

"What about the teacher?" she asks.

"Spilt before we knew what was happening. The others are tracking him now."

Derek appears in the doorway and Erica gives him a little smile. "We match." she says.

Like the two of them he has bandages and plasters all over him. His chest hitches awkwardly letting her know he has bruised or broken ribs as well.

"All of them are gone after the teacher?" she asks.

"No replies," Derek. "Stiles and Boyd had to go home. Scott, you should go too. You’re supposed to be spending the night at Stiles'."

Scott slumped but nodded. He bent and kissed Erica on the forehead. "See you tomorrow." He slips past Derek, their bodies sliding in sync that tells Erica the muscles haven't forgotten the recent fight just yet; still attuned to the other person.

Derek plops down on a little bench in the room and says to Erica, "Get some rest." She quirks a smile at him and demands his phone instead.

 

* * *

 

Stiles, Lydia, Allsion were all having an epic skype powwow during which they were strategically breaking down the fight with alpha. Scott was sleepily mumbling suggestions and trying to do the biology homework he had completely forgotten until Stiles had asked him about it.

Jackson eventually joined the call and then later Isaac did by climbing into Jackson's window (and nearly giving Jackson a heart attack, he was supposed to have gone home). He announced they'd lost the trail, then proceeded to fall asleep on Jackson's cushy rug.

 

"We could ambush him, come out from the gray roads," said Stiles.

"What's to stop him from going back in?" asked Lydia, "It didn't work so well to keep him here last time."

"But we can't fight him there," said Stiles, "There’s very little place to retreat."

"There's miles of retreat," said Allison, "but we don't know how to use them so well."

"We need to fix that," sad Jackson, "When there not some psycho in it."

"Is he always in it though?" asked Lydia.

The others blink.

"You think he might have a den outside?"

"Why not?" asked Lydia.

They considered. Why not indeed?

"Trying to find out will probably be a waste of time anyways," Allison said.

"For us," Stiles said suddenly. "But the hunters will have resources we don't"

"Derek will kill you," Scott pointed out from where he was labeling a plant cell.

"I'll go with you," Jackson said.

"No," said Lydia, Allison and Scott.

Stiles grinned and nodded. "It's a date."

Scott opened his mouth to protest but yawned so loudly he was obliged to rest his head on his book to recover.

"Seriously," he said from between the pages after a moment, "Don't go. Victoria may have been nice to you once but don't bet she will be again."

"Seconded," said Allison primly.

Stiles thought about it and then said to Jackson, "How do you feel about baking brownies?"

"I get to lick the bowl," Jackson replies and the call cuts off.

Scott carefully writes the title under his drawing, underlines it and tossed the book and various stationary over to his bag from the bed.

"G'night," he mumbles and sleds of the bed in eel-like fashion and crawls over to the sleeping bag and falls asleep on top of it.

Stiles debates waking him up again to get him inside it and then decide that it was too much trouble. He too collapses into his bed and falls asleep.

 

* * *

 

The Sherriff comes home to find Jackson and Stiles in the kitchen apparently baking brownies and making a pie. The Sherriff blinks because Jackson Whitmore is in his kitchen baking brownies and making a pie. Both boys have clearly never done either activity, reading out loud from instructions on a sheet but the brownies that come out of the oven look great and the pie looks delicious.

"Great," Stiles announces when he sees him.

"Can you delver these to someone for us dad?" he asks.

The Sherriff blinks. These aren’t' for them? Visions of sneaking brownies while Stiles is away dissolve.

"Who?" he asks.

"A Victoria Fleche," he says.

"Who is that?" asked the Sheriff.

"This lady," said Stiles waving a spoon, "I was driving past her house and I smelled her cookies. So I stopped and begged her for some." The Sheriff feels a strong urge to facepalm like a cartoon character.

"So, I'm baking the brownies for her a repayment," Stiles explains. The Sherriff gives a patented sigh.

"And why do I have to deliver these?" he asks, "You have a jeep."

"Had a jeep," said Stiles, "It's been commandeered by the next-door neighbor for a smoking hot date. And Jackson and I have a group econ project we have to do and the person who we're meeting by, lives on the opposite part of town."

The Sherriff sighs and gestures for them to hand him the tray that they're preparing. Stiles writes something on a sticky note and slaps it onto the top of the foil covering the tray.

"Thanks dad," he says, "You’re a lifesaver."

For some reason this makes Whitmore crack up and then he and stiles are dumping everything into the dishwasher, grabbing bags and flying out the house to ride away in Jackson’s extremely expensive porche.

 

Ten minutes later the Sherriff is standing outside the house that Stiles had texted him directions to, feeling really silly. The door swings open in response to his knock and a man, a little younger than he is opens the door.

"Mr. Fleche?" he asks.

"Yes," says the man, frowning politely.

"My son apparently begged some cookies from your wife and has sent back some brownies in return," he said awkwardly.

The man frowns even more and then his face clears. "Stiles," he says.

"Yes," said the Sherriff. "I'm so sorry that he bothered your wife."

"Oh," the man laughs, "No problem. She didn't mind." he takes the tray from the Sherriff. "Tell Stiles thanks." And with that he moves backs into the doorway and the Sheriff reaches in and pulls the door closed.

"Thanks," he hears Fleche say from inside and then the Sherriff sighs and heads to his car. At least that wasn’t' so very awkward.

 

* * *

 

"Victoria," Chris calls as heads to the kitchen.  She comes down the stairs.

"What?" she asks.

"Stiles sent brownies," he said.

One of her eyebrows raise elegantly and she comes to inspect the foil covered tray. After a moment, she reaches out and plucks the sticky note from the foil and turns it over. She reads the note there in silence and then hands it to Chris.

Chris reads it and shrugs.  

"We guessed as much,” he said, “It’s not a bad idea, just…he mayn’t be staying where a normal person might.”

 

"Usually they don’t. But it’s not a bad idea," she agrees and then lifts the foil off the tray. The heady scent of brownies fill the air. Chris reaches over and plucks one up and takes a bite.

"This isn't bad either," he concedes after a moment.

**Author's Note:**

> I love reviews, I really do!


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